Magnesium is a mineral that is important because it helps give people energy. The substance is involved in the process of nerve impulse transmission, and plays a role in how muscles contract and relax. Pediatric requirements for magnesium range from 80 to 360 mg per day, depending on gender and age. Adults need between 310 and 420 mg daily; pregnant and lactating women generally require more of the mineral than men or non-pregnant women. Many different kinds of foods contain magnesium, so it is not hard to add it to your diet.
Step 1
Add magnesium to your diet by including soy products in your daily meal preparation. The National Institutes of Health explain that soy nuts, soy flour and tofu are all good food sources of magnesium. Add tofu to stir fries instead of meat; incorporate soy flour into your baking to boost magnesium levels.
Step 2
Serve peas and beans as side dishes if you are deficient in magnesium. Northwestern University's Feinberg School of Medicine reports that a half-cup serving of black beans contains 60 mg of the mineral; the same size serving of cooked green peas provides 23 mg. Chili that is made with kidney or pinto beans offers 115 mg of magnesium per 1-cup serving.
Step 3
Snack on nuts, seeds and dried fruit to add more magnesium to your diet. Cashews, almonds, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds and dried apricots are all rich in magnesium. A small quarter-cup serving of roasted pumpkin seeds provides more than 300 mg of magnesium.
Step 4
Consume a wide variety of fruits and vegetables to get the magnesium you need, as well as other essential nutrients. Magnesium is present in many different foods, from chicken and fish, to avocados, spinach, unsweetened (baking) chocolate and brown rice.
Step 5
Ask your doctor about taking a magnesium supplement if your levels are low and your diet alone is not relieving symptoms of magnesium deficiency. Milk of magnesia is one non-food source of magnesium; other supplements can be purchased at pharmacies or health food stores in a tablet form.
Things You'll Need
- Measuring cups
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